Ishita Malhotra, M.S.

I attribute my success to resilience, curiosity, and a continuous commitment to learning and impact. Starting my journey in Computer Science and Engineering in India, I earned a full scholarship through a national-level essay competition and began building early experience through practical, results-driven work. Although my foundation was technical, I developed a strong interest in business analytics and data science, which led me to pursue additional training through a Udacity scholarship, where I also began mentoring learners globally. Throughout my career at KPMG India, Gartner, and later in advanced studies at Carnegie Mellon University, I continued to grow through both opportunity and adversity, including periods of significant personal and financial challenge that strengthened my sense of responsibility and focus. Today, in my role, I apply data strategy and automation to enterprise problems while also leading training initiatives and building AI-driven learning tools. Across every stage, my success has come from persistence, adaptability, and a consistent drive to use data and education to create meaningful impact.

The best career advice I’ve received is to stay closely connected to mentors and remain open to guidance throughout every stage of growth. My mother has been my strongest influence, consistently emphasizing the importance of education and resilience even during difficult financial and personal challenges. Professionally, mentors I met through LinkedIn and the analytics community have guided me through major transitions, including moving to the U.S. and advancing in analytics roles, while peers have reinforced that mentorship is a two-way process built on continuous learning and support.

I would advise young women entering my field to actively seek mentors aligned with their interests and remain open to non-linear and unconventional career paths, as growth often comes from diverse experiences across roles and industries. I’ve also found that teaching and mentoring others significantly strengthens your own learning, so sharing knowledge is just as important as acquiring it. It’s essential to focus on what genuinely interests you rather than limiting yourself to predefined titles, since passion-driven learning combined with structured skill-building leads to long-term success. Above all, persistence, self-discipline, and ownership of your learning journey matter most—mentorship can guide you, but consistent effort and accountability ultimately drive your growth.

The biggest challenges in my field have involved navigating non-linear career transitions, often outside traditional expectations, particularly moving from core computer science into business analytics and data science. I also managed significant personal and financial responsibilities early in my career, including supporting my family during the COVID-19 crisis, while continuing to pursue education and professional growth. Relocating to the United States for graduate studies was another major risk that expanded my technical expertise and global opportunities. At the same time, balancing a full-time corporate role with ongoing mentorship and education initiatives has been demanding but rewarding. Today, I see strong opportunity in the rapid evolution of AI and data, especially in building scalable, structured learning systems that make technical education more accessible and impactful.

The most important values in my work and personal life are empathy and dedication. I believe effective mentorship and leadership begin with understanding each individual’s background, challenges, and learning style, rather than focusing only on technical instruction. Empathy allows for more meaningful connection, better collaboration, and more impactful guidance across teams and learners. I also place strong importance on consistency and self-discipline, as sustained effort and ownership of learning are essential for long-term growth. While mentorship can provide direction and support, I believe true development comes from personal commitment and persistence. These values continue to shape how I approach my work, my mentorship efforts, and my contributions to the broader data and analytics community.